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Friday, July 8, 2016

Be United, Stand United

When will we realize we are a nation crumbling at the seams, consumed with hate and fear? Look at how far this great nation has fallen. I see a nation that is afraid and divided. Our enemies seek to destroy us, and sadly, they are winning, and we are helping them in their cause. When we turn on each other, we are creating more fear and hate. Yes, our history is marked with actions that are cruel; but that means we need to learn from our history and not repeat it. We need to learn to take off the lenses that cause us to see differences and see people with our hearts, as fellow humans. We are all in this life, in this world, together. When will we stop tearing each other apart? Don’t we see that with each attack we are creating more fear-the very thing some groups claim to be fighting against, or raising awareness of?

We cannot fight fear with fear. Fear will consume our once great nation and destroy everything our forefathers worked and died for. We have families torn apart because of the actions of a few. Instead of looking at the actions of a few and assuming members of society, or organizations, as a whole feel the same way as those few just because they have the same color of skin- or wear the same uniform- DOES NOT mean they all act, think, or feel the same as those few who are guilty of hate and poor decisions.

When we turn on each other, our enemy has won. We have gone from fighting for our cause to fighting against each other, and building the forces of our enemy. Those who are sworn to protect and serve are being attacked. Please, stop and think about that for a minute. What would it be like to be a police officer today? What would it be like to put on that uniform and prepare for your work day? To kiss your family goodbye and not know if it would be for the last time? To respond to a call, a need to protect your community, only to be gunned down? What about the families of our officers? Each and every day they are left wondering if their loved ones are safe. They are fearful of what their loved ones face while at work, and if they would return home to them.

This is inside our borders, in our communities, the places we call home! Look at how far we have fallen! Are we done, yet? Have you had enough? Please, I beg of you, stop the hate. Stop the fear. This is more than a “Black Lives Matter” issue. Or, a “Blue Lives Matter” issue. The simple fact is ALL LIVES MATTER!

In the words of Martin Luther King, "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” Love. Love is the answer. Love is the only thing that can right this ship, and I pray that our nation will be united in prayer and turn to love. If you want to fight for this nation, your weapon of choice should be, and can only be, love! Love is the only answer to hate.

Please, think about all of this for a moment. Do we really want our nation to crumble? Do we really want to aid our enemies in our defeat by turning on one another? Start seeing each other as who we are: Human beings, individuals with unique qualities that when put together, and strengthened, are capable of great things! Start building each other up, and stop tearing each other down. We are limiting ourselves by our current actions. Let’s make this nation great, once again. Be the UNITED States of America.